Tag: Union Organizing

Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: Union Organizer Taken from Train in Florida, Flogged and Left for Dead

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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———————-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 22, 1921
Bay County, Florida – Union Organizer Seized by Thugs, Left for Dead

From the Duluth Labor World of November 19, 1921:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17.-Officials of the A. F. of L. have called the attention of the department of justice to the flogging of John E. Winstanley by a Florida mob, who took the unionists from a train and after beating him, threatened his life and left him for dead.

Winstanley is a representative of the International Union of Timber Workers. While on a train near Sherman, Florida, he was seized by a mob, thrown into an automobile, followed by an another auto, filled with thugs. After a journey of several miles Winstanley was taken from the auto and placed across a railroad tie, when he was flogged. The leader of the mob said:

“—— —— you, we’ll show you we don’t want no union organizers in Bay county.” After the mob left him, Winstanley crawled to a house where he was cared for and later driven 14 miles to a small hamlet where a deputy United States, marshal placed him in a hotel.

It is believed the mob can be punished by federal authorities for violating the United States law against the forceful removal of a passenger from an interstate train.

Note: According to the Palatka Daily News of  November 4, 1921, Winstanley was hospitalized at Marianna, Florida. 

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Hellraisers Journal: William Z Foster on the Alschuler Award: “How Life Has Been Brought into the Stockyards,” Part I

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Quote WZF, re Organizing Packinghouse Workers, LnL, April 1918

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday April 5, 1918
Victory! for Packinghouse Workers by William Z. Foster, Part I

From Life and Labor of April 1918:

Life and Labor, Editors, and WZF, April 1918

The main questions, touching wages, hours and conditions of labor, involved in the Stockyards arbitration hearing before Judge Alschuler, and his decision concerning them, are of overwhelming importance, both in principle and in consequence. Just how far-reaching will be the results of the decision one cannot now forecast. But lips stiffened by poverty will perhaps now learn to smile, and thousands of families will for the first time taste of life.

[Part I of III.]

Chicago Stockyards, WZF, LnL p63, April 1918

EIGHT MONTHS ago the vast army of packing house workers throughout the country were among America’s most helpless and hopeless toilers. Practically destitute of organization, they worked excessively long hours under abominable conditions for miserably low wages. Hope for them indeed seemed dead. But today all this is changed. Like magic splendid organizations have sprung up in all the packing centers. The eight hour day has been established, working conditions have been improved and wages greatly increased. From being one of the worst industries in the country for the workers the packing industry has suddenly become one of the best.

The bringing about of these revolutionary changes constitutes one of the greatest achievements of the Trade Union movement in recent years. A detailed recital of how it occurred is well worth while.

Since the great, ill-fated strike of 1904 the packing trades unions had put forth much effort to re-establish themselves. But, working upon the plan of each union fighting its own battle and paying little or no heed to the struggles of the rest, they achieved no better success than have other unions applying this old-fashioned and unscientific method in the big industries. Complete failure attended their efforts. No sooner would one of them gain a foothold than the mighty packers, almost without trying, would destroy it.

The logic of the situation was plain. Individual action had failed. Possibility of success lay only in the direction of united action. Common sense dictated that all the unions should pool their strength and make a concerted drive for organization. Therefore, when on Friday, July 13, 1917, exactly thirteen years after the calling of the big strike, Local No. 453 of the Railway Carmen proposed to Local No. 87 of the Butcher Workmen that a joint campaign of organization be started in the Chicago packing houses, the latter agreed at once. The two unions drafted a resolution asking the Chicago Federation of Labor to call together the interested trades and to take charge of the proposed campaign.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: William Z Foster on the Alschuler Award: “How Life Has Been Brought into the Stockyards,” Part I” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1907: Found in Arizona

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday July 18, 1907
Mother Jones News for June: Organizing Miners in Arizona

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

During the month of June 1907, Mother Jones was found working with the Western Federation of Miners, organizing the metal miners of Arizona. During that month she also made a trip to New York City, and, on her way back to Arizona, stopped off in Girard, Kansas, to visit with J. A. Wayland of the Appeal to Reason.

The Tombstone Epitaph of June 2, 1907 stated that she should seek a less taxing lifestyle than that of preaching “socialistic doctrines,” while the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of June 24, 1907 honored her efforts on behalf of the working class:

Like Joan of Arc, Mother Jones is alone in her class, and is one of the few labor leaders in this country who have the ear of the entire people, and the respect of the different factions that so often clash in the material world.

From the Nogales Border Vidette of June 1, 1907:

“Mother” Jones, prominent in the labor field of the United State, will arrive in Tombstone this afternoon and is billed to lecture both this and tomorrow evening. “Mother” Jones is a lady 60 years of age or more, the major portion of which time has been devoted to the welfare of the working-man. The lady is not a disturbing element nor an agitator, but on the contrary endeavors to still the troubled waters by pointing out how amicable relations may be brought about and prosperity take the place of chaos. “Mother” Jones speaks from a socialistic standpoint, is well versed in political economy, highly educated and has oratorical ability. Her prominence throughout the country will doubtless call out large audiences on both occasions of her lectures.-Prospector.

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WE NEVER FORGET: Alexander Obremski Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Rugby, Colorado on May 18, 1907

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
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Link up in one socialist company;
Evil must perish!
Only together and united!
Long live the Western Federation of Miners!
-Alex Obremski

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WE NEVER FORGET, Alex Obremski, Rugby CO May 18, 1907

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Alexander Obremski
Union Organizer for the Western Federation of Miners

In 1907, Alexander Obremski was a union organizer for the Western Federation of Miners, working in the very dangerous field of the Trinidad area of southern Colorado. The field was considered to be so dangerous that organizers took the precaution of traveling in pairs.

On the evening of May 18, 1907, Brother Obremski was shot down in a saloon in Rugby, Colorado, near Trinidad, by Juan Espinosa, “a Mexican allegedly hired by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company (CF&I) for this purpose.” [See below.]

A large funeral was held in Trinidad on May 22nd to honor the intrepid union organizer. He was survived by two brothers who lived in Starkville, Colorado.

According to M. E. White who had charge of WFM headquarters in Trinidad:

Much credit is due for the three hundred members initiated here in the last five months, and at Pueblo, to the faithful and diligent work of your organizer, Brother James Peretto, and the late Brother Obremsky who took their lives in their hands in the work of educating the slaves of this district.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SOURCE I

Essays in Colorado History, Issues 5-10
Colorado Historical Society, 1987
(Search with “alex obremski” reveals signature: “Alex. Obremski.”)
https://books.google.com/books?id=_ngjAQAAIAAJ

Note: not available online except in snippet view. By using various search-words, I was able to bring up some relevant information. I will be attempting to track down this source in a library.

Page 55-

Alexander Obremski (1876-1907)
Correspondence from Trinidad, Colorado
Published as “Korespondencje. Trinidad, Colo.” in Robotnik Polski

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Alexander Obremski Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Rugby, Colorado on May 18, 1907” →

Hellraisers Journal: W. F. of M. Convention Demands Investigation Into Murder of Organizer Alex Obremski

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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He knew he was taking his life in his hands
in going to Trinidad, but as he was ordered there
he would not shirk his duty.
-Henry Morris of Pueblo on murder of
WFM Organizer Alex Obremski

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday June 29, 1907
Denver, Colorado – W. F. of M. Convention Wants Investigation

From the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of June 15, 1907:

WILL INVESTIGATE THE SHOOTING
OF A MINER
—–
Murdered Western Federation Organizer
May Have Been Victim of Conspiracy.
—–

LETTER CONTAINS STRONG ALLEGATION
—–

WFM button

Denver, Colo., June 15.-The Western Federation of Miners’ convention today received a communication from a member in Las Animas county, suggesting an investigation of the killing of Alexander Obrenski [Obremski], a Federation organizer, by Juan Eskinas [Espinosa], at Rugby, Colo., about one month ago [May 18th].

The killing was alleged, at the time, to have occurred in a barroom row, but the writer of the communication suggested that it was the result of a conspiracy to injure the Federation.

Strong Statement.

He makes the statement that the row was not participated in by the organizer, but that the belligerents managed to gather around Obrenski, and before he could get away a shot was fired, and he fell to the floor, [..and..?] The fighters melted into obscurity immediately.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May 1917: Found in West Virginia and Indiana

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday June 14, 1917
Mother Jones News for May: Organizing in West Virginia

Mother Jones, Garment Strike, Chg Dly Tb, Feb 26, 1917, crpd 2

During the month of May 1917 Mother Jones was found in West Virginia on a mission for the United Mine Workers of America organizing the mining camps of the Winding Gulf District where she is beloved by the miners and considered a treasonous old-hag by the mine owners.

The following is part of a report from West Virginia published in the United Mine Workers Journal:

Judging from [her listeners’] expressions, I am confident that the results of that grand old lady’s talk and the clean-cut statements of the other representatives as to the opportunity that the United Mine Workers of America are offering the miners of this field, and considering that we now have officials that believe in making contracts above the table, I believe I heard at least fifty or more men this evening say that if the national will keep Mother Jones in this field a while longer we will get a hundred per cent organization.

She also paid visits to Chicago and to Brazil, Indiana.

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Hellraisers Journal: From Solidarity: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on “Problems Organizing Women,” Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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No matter what your fight, don’t be ladylike!
God Almighty made women and
the Rockefeller gang of thieves made the ladies.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday July 22, 1916
From Solidarity: Women Can Fight, Says Miss Flynn

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Reno Gz-Jr, July 12, 1916

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World who recently arrived in northern Minnesota to assist with the strike of the iron miners of the Mesabi Range, on July 15th had published in that organization’s weekly journal, Solidarity, an article on the problems of organizing women. Miss Flynn encourages working women to rebel against the limits enforced against them by the prevailing attitudes which dictate that women should be “lady-like” and stick to tending home and children. Yesterday Hellraisers Journal offered part one of the article; today we conclude with part two.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Solidarity: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on “Problems Organizing Women,” Part II” →

Hellraisers Journal: From Solidarity: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on “Problems Organizing Women,” Part I

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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No matter what your fight, don’t be ladylike!
God Almighty made women and
the Rockefeller gang of thieves made the ladies.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday July 21, 1916
From Solidarity: Miss Flynn on Organizing Women

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Reno Gz-Jr, July 12, 1916

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World who recently arrived in northern Minnesota to assist with the strike of the iron miners of the Mesabi Range, on July 15th had published in that organization’s weekly journal, Solidarity, an article on the problems of organizing women. Miss Flynn encourages working women to rebel against the limits enforced against them by the prevailing attitudes which dictate that women should be “lady-like” and stick to tending home and children. Today we offer part one of the article; part two will appear in tomorrow’s Hellraisers Journal.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Solidarity: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on “Problems Organizing Women,” Part I” →